A Master's Return
by NephilimEQ
Summary: Obi Wan has not been dealing with Master Qui Gon's death very well...and then something happens to upend all of what he knows to be true. PLEASE READ & REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

**A Master's Return**

Obi Wan walked through the Jedi Temple, his thoughts scattered, much like the people in the temple on that early Friday morning, trying to find the peace that had once come so easily to him upon entering the sacred grounds, and had once been so familiar to him, but now seemed to escape him, eluding him like smoke.

Now no longer a Padawan, but a Jedi Knight, he thought that he would feel different…or at least he had expected to have a new perspective on life, but nothing had changed.

He had not become a Knight in the way that he had wanted to, and, if he were being totally honest with himself, he was still grieving Qui Gon's death and not truly focused on his Knighthood.

It did not feel as though it had happened weeks ago, but more as though it had happened mere seconds earlier.

During the weeks following his Master's death, Obi Wan had been trying to come to terms with his emotions. At first, they had been mixed and jumbled, something he was not comfortable with as a Jedi, but Healer Tara had explained to him that what he was feeling was called "survivor's guilt."

It was eating him up inside…and he almost didn't want it to go away.

It was all he had left.

It was the only emotion that made any sense to him.

Guilt.

He clung to it tightly, desperate to keep it with him. But as he did, depressing thoughts constantly plagued him…

_If only I had encountered the Sith on my own, I could have defeated him before we had met him together…If only I had been a little bit faster, Master Qui Gon would not have died…I could have saved him…I could have _saved_ him…_

But he hadn't.

He _had_, however, killed his Master's murderer, the unknown Sith Lord, and that was the one of the few reasons why the Council had foregone giving him the trials and immediately promoted him to Jedi Knight.

When they had first told him that they were going to go ahead and make him a Knight, he hadn't wanted to accept it, thinking that the only reason why they were moving him up in rank was simply because his Master had died, but then they had told him that even if Qui Gon hadn't passed on into the force, they would have promoted him anyway simply because of the fact that he had defeated a Sith Lord.

Master Windu had said that it took a Jedi of Master skill to achieve that kind of accomplishment, and then they had implied that he would promoted again shortly after.

So, Obi Wan wore the title, but where he had once been thrilled at the prospect of having the privilege of wearing the title of Knight, now all that he felt was loathing.

Wearing the title, to him, felt like a mockery, a joke, an insult to Qui Gon's memory.

Still reflecting on this thought, he looked up and was surprised to find himself at one of the private meditation gardens. He hadn't even been aware that his feet were leading him there. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he'd simply gone on automatic.

There was sand on the ground, interspersed with stones and low green shrubs, and it was encircled by a tall, slate wall.

His feet had taken him to where he'd gone every Friday morning with his Master.

A favorite of his.

At being in a place that he closely associated with himself and his now deceased Master, his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He dropped to his knees, placing clenched fists on his robe covered thighs, trying to contain the anger and grief that rushed to the surface and threatened to escape from him.

He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind; to find serenity…but, of course, it would not come.

Instead, he felt burning tears escape through his tightly closed lids and run down his face, landing on his still tightly clenched fists.

As if his tears were keys, he fingers slowly unlocked themselves and he brought his hands to his face, covering it as he began to openly weep, wrenching sobs shaking his usually solid frame.

It was as though it had all rushed to a head in that moment. The dam of walled up emotion was finally breaking and he could not stop it from flowing. It was painful, brutally so, and he could feel an uncontrollable wave of the force shake him and flow into the garden around him.

And then his _real_ emotion began to surface…the real reason why he was so angry…

_Why haven't you visited me, Master? Was I that bad of a student? Did I not meet your expectations? I killed the man who killed you and I feel no guilt about it…and I am afraid that it might take me down the wrong path. Is that why you won't see me?_

As the questions ran through his head, he tried to reassure himself by repeating what Master Windu and Master Yoda had both told him about Jedis who returned to the force.

"Strong, your bond with your Master was, young Kenobi, but tempestuous was it, too," had said Master Yoda, leaving Obi Wan even more confused.

His and Qui Gon's relationship had been rocky at first, as Qui Gon had not initially wanted him as an apprentice, but then they had become very close, and through Qui Gon he had learned to question everything; if you wanted to know, ask enough questions and you will find the truth. And so, he had constantly used it against his Master to question his teachings and authority. To anyone else, it would seem that they never agreed on anything, but for his Master he had always taken pride in the fact that _his_ Padawan was not simply a blind follower, but sought truth for himself.

Master Windu had said, "Whether or not he comes to you is entirely dependent on how strong your bond was as Master and Padawan. Even if he does not appear, take solace in the fact that he is one with the force and has found peace, and no longer dwells on the things of the world…"

So Obi Wan now tried to use these two things to calm him, to center himself, but found that they didn't help.

He was gone.

* * *

**Part 1/?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

How long he knelt on the ground, he wasn't sure. Time seemed to have lost its meaning, and the only thing that he was aware of at the moment was that he felt empty.

Carefully, he slowly came back to himself, and sat back on his heels, absently running a hand over his face, wiping away the trails of tears that were left behind. Even though it had been uncharacteristic for a Jedi, he felt that it had been cleansing.

Obi Wan felt…like something had been released. And he felt at peace.

What was strange was that he couldn't feel that gaping hole that he'd felt before, and both Master Yoda and Master Windu had told him that he would feel that way for a while, as that was what happened when a Master passed before their Padawan had gone through the trials and become a Knight.

They had both told him that he would feel strange and disjointed, and that was because he was.

The Force would have shifted around him and they said it might take him nearly a year to put himself back to where he was before it had shifted.

That was why he had accepted their offer of training Annakin for him in the interim time while he connected once more back to the Force.

However, he didn't feel the gaping hole that he'd felt before his…well, his breakdown. Instead, he felt a strange calm about him, and it was almost as if he could feel his Master's presence next to him, reassuring him, a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder…

…and then he realized that he _did_ feel a hand on his shoulder.

He turned around, his eyes wide, gripping the wrist that connected to the hand with a lightning fast movement, one only a Jedi could do, and then he heard a low laugh that he distinctly recognized.

"Hey…didn't mean to startle you. I just came to tell you that I'm back."

Obi Wan's eyes focused, and he realized who was standing in front of him. Plain brown hair down past her shoulders, neither wavy nor straight, in that unsure state of in between along with the signature braid that fell several inches past her shoulders, slightly distracted hazel eyes, and an off-center smile with teeth that were too small for her mouth all added up to one person.

Elsa. Elsa Quay.

He slowly dropped her hand and a faint smile crossed his lips at realizing who it was.

"Elsa…my goodness. I haven't seen you in…"

"Two years," she supplied, tossing her hair over her shoulder and lifting her hand to shade her eyes in the fading light of the day.

She glanced around the meditation area and then said, "How long have you been out here? The last anyone saw you was early this morning. Master Cho said he saw you enter here and that he hasn't seen any movement from it since…"

Elsa gave him a questioning look which was an awkward twist of her lips and a slight squinting of her eyes.

Politely, Obi Wan placed a hand near her back and ushered her out of the garden, back inside, and she seemed grateful as she dropped her hand from her face.

She had a high sensitivity to light, as she was not entirely human, but a rare mixed species combination of human and some other race that no one was sure of.

Finally, Obi Wan said, "It's good to see you again, Elsa…but I must ask, where have you been for the past two years? I've heard nothing from you or your Master. No reports, no correspondence…not even a holo card from the outer planets."

She ducked her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her odd smile stretching over her lips.

"Well, I've just completed my trials. I'm to be Knighted in three days…" Elsa paused, training her usually oscillating gaze directly on him. "I was hoping that you'd be there."

He nodded and placed his left hand congratulatory on her shoulder.

"I'd be honored, Elsa."

She gave him yet another awkward smile and then adjusted her pace slightly to meet his. Ever since he could remember, she had always been in a rush to get everywhere, and her Master, Master Cadme, had never seemed to be able to train patience into her.

Instead, he had relied on the influence of Qui Gon and Obi Wan, in hopes that their calmness would transfer to her…no such luck.

As they walked side by side, she slipped her right arm through his left and he smiled.

They had walked through the temple this way many times when they were kids and even through their teen years, knowing that everyone would assume that they were a couple, even though they had never even had any interest in each other in that way.

For one, through an aberration of biology, she had no interest in anyone, really, let alone Obi Wan, and for the second, he wasn't interested in girls. Rather the opposite, actually.

So, they had enjoyed a comfortable flirtatious, fun, and responsibility free friendship where neither one of them felt held down by the other in any way.

Cautiously, Elsa lifted her eyes, studying his profile…and that was when she saw it.

His braid. It was gone. Missing. Which could only mean one thing…

She suddenly stopped walking and, in too loud of a voice for the temple hallway, she said, "You were Knighted? Why didn't you tell me? How could you not tell me the instant that you saw me? I mean…this is a big deal, Obi!"

Furtively casting his eyes about, making sure that no one had heard her, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Because it's not a big deal, Elsa. So I was Knighted. That's what happens when you're not a Padawan any more, right?"

She glared at him; her gaze no longer distracted, but instead firmly fixed on him.

"Yes, but we were in the same classes and you went out with Master Qui Gon just before I left…I assumed that you were having your trials as well, which meant that we would be finished around the same time, which means that we should have been Knighted _together_," she said pointedly, her tone sounding slightly petulant.

He understood her logic and was about to answer her, when, while squeezing his arm tightly, she suddenly asked, "Speaking of, where _is_ Master Qui Gon? He must be so proud of you, Obi!"

He winced slightly at the way she casually said his name, and that was when he realized that she hadn't been told and that he was going to have to be the one to break the news.

"Then you didn't hear," he said, starting to walk back down the hall, and she quickly fell into step beside him, her tense frame telling him it was taking all of her willpower to not simply sprint down the hall to the dining area, where they had silently agreed to both go without saying a word.

Elsa bit her lip to refrain from pushing or asking any more questions, knowing Obi Wan would tell her.

Finally, he spoke.

"He was killed, Elsa…by a Sith Lord." He heard her gasp in shock, but he continued. "That is why I was Knighted before you. I never even _went_ through my trials, Elsa…"

She looked up at him, confused, and then gently prodded.

"What do you mean, Obi? I mean, what have you been doing for the past year and half if not going through your trials?"

He shook his head, trying to figure out how to explain everything to her. Everything that had happened to him and Qui Gon. All of the life-threatening risks they had taken, and all of the times where he could have easily have been killed instead of his Master.

Finally, he simply said, "I killed the Sith Lord that killed him, Elsa. _That's_ why I was Knighted…and for no other reason."

She faltered in her steps but then met him once more in stride and he could practically hear her questions ricocheting against the walls of her mind, all of them trying to get out at once.

He looked down at her and saw her biting her lip, and he knew that she was attempting to not bombard him with all of her questions at once, and he smiled.

It seemed that she truly _had_ grown over the past two years. Two years ago she would have been firing question after question at him, with hardly a breath in between words, and she also would have been skipping circles around him, trying to burn off her nervous energy.

Instead, she was pensive and silent.

She lifted her eyes to his, and in a soft voice said, "I'm sorry about Master Qui Gon. He was an amazing Jedi Master…the best fighter I ever knew."

She paused for a long moment, and then spoke again.

"So…where _were_ the two of you? If you weren't having your trials, then what were you doing?"

Obi Wan sighed, realizing that she had to know. Besides, the Queen was no longer in any singular danger any more, and he was no longer under the vow of secrecy that he had been when he and Qui Gon had been assigned as her protection.

"Have you heard of Queen Amidala? The Queen of the planet Naboo?"

She nodded.

"Master Qui Gon and I were protecting her, and trying to root out spies from among her government, and we succeeded…" He paused. "Though, at a terrible price…"

She nodded and ran her hand reassuringly over his arm, her gaze still focused on the floor in front of them. This could not be easy for him to talk about. The death of a Master was something that she could not even imagine; especially when the Padawan hadn't yet been Knighted and still shared a bond with their Master. To have the bond so suddenly severed, instead of slowly broken down as it was supposed to happen…

Elsa inwardly shuddered as she thought about it, and gently squeezed Obi Wan's arm again, trying to silently tell him that she was there for him.

She looked up and saw a faint smile on his lips as he patted a hand over his.

"Thank you, Elsa. It's good to see you again."

She smiled.

"Yeah, well…it's good to see you again, too, Obi. I've missed you."

He gave her another smile, but this time it was wide and genuine, reminding her of old times together causing trouble.

"I've missed you, too, Elsa…so, dinner?"

She nodded, her long braid bobbing over her shoulder, and then he grasped her hand with his and suddenly started to run down the corridor, dragging her alongside him, ignoring the looks that several Masters and fellow Jedi Knights gave him; accusing glares that said he was doing things unsuitable for his rank and station.

But he didn't care.

For a brief while he would enjoy the feeling of an old friendship renewed and let himself regress for the time being.

Sometimes a person needed to regress in order to move forward, so that was what he was going to do.

They arrived at the dining hall out of breath and still receiving disapproving looks from other Knights and Masters, but several of the new young Padawans were grinning at their antics, and then ducking their heads so as not to be seen smiling by their Masters who sat near them.

Elsa, still trying to catch her breath, managed to gasp out, "What was that for Obi? Mind you, I'm not complaining, merely curious."

He smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Merely regressing, that's all."

She smiled back and said, "Well, so long as we do it together, do it all you want."

He let out a low chuckle and she enjoyed the sound of it, glad that his mood had lifted so suddenly.

Obi Wan, himself, was unsure what had suddenly changed his mood. Earlier, when she had gently squeezed his hand and he'd taken off down the corridor, he could have sworn he felt his Master nearby, looking at both of them, smiling in approval, though at the same time shaking his head at their juvenile actions.

For some reason, it felt as though he were still close…still watching.

Still beside him.

As they each filled a tray with food, he felt strangely content…

And something lingered in the back of his mind. His Master's voice, reassuring, and he felt as though he could hear him saying, _"I am here, Obi Wan…I am here, waiting…"_

But he shook it off, knowing that his Master was gone.

He had to move on.

* * *

**Part 2/?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After the meal was over, he made his way to his rooms. He still had not left the rooms that he and his Master had shared together, which was probably preventing him from moving on completely, but he still did not have the heart to do so.

Qui Gon's belongings were still in there, as well, and he took time every day to look at them and remind himself of the great man that his Master was.

Obi Wan slipped into the main sitting room, closing the door behind him, and as he tossed his outer robe over the back of one of the chairs, he could practically hear Qui Gon saying, "I guess since the robe has taken the chair, we should hang you in the wardrobe then, hmm?"

And then Obi would roll his eyes and pick it up and put it where it belonged.

Thinking of that, he stared at the robe on the chair, as though hoping that Qui Gon would suddenly reappear to tell him just that.

But, of course, there wasn't a single sound in the room other than that of his own breathing.

Letting out a sigh filled with too much emotion, he picked up his robe and put it into the wardrobe that stood just to the inside of the door. As he put it away, he noticed one of Qui Gon's old robes in there as well, and he felt a pang deep in his chest.

Quickly, he shoved the feeling to the side and instead focused on readying his mind for sleep. He had been through a lot in the past few weeks, and so Healer Tara had told him that before he went to sleep each night, he should take an hour to meditate so that his mind would be centered before starting any sleep cycle, thereby greatly diminishing the probability that he would have any nightmares or night terrors, ensuring a proper rest.

He'd been doing as she asked, and it had worked for the most part, but he hadn't been remembering to do it _every_ night.

The few nights that he had forgotten he'd had very vivid dreams of his Master coming back to him, bleeding and in pain, asking him why he hadn't saved him.

When he'd woken up from those nightmares, he had been shaky and covered in a cold sweat, feeling as though his blood sugar had been depleted, as though he had been running for his life in some unremembered chase from some bit of the already now partially forgotten nightmare.

Those few experiences had been more than enough to encourage him to do his meditation.

Moving carefully and with an ease that spoke of years of experience, he moved to the room that was set aside for such things and knelt down in the center of it, clearing his mind.

Clearing his mind was always the hardest part as distracting thoughts liked to go through his head and try to keep him from finding his equilibrium.

Thoughts of Elsa and of the Council flitted through his mind, as well as thoughts of the young Annakin Skywalker and what his fate might be. And, of course, of his now deceased Master and what he might say to him were he still alive.

However, this time was different…instead of the thoughts of his Master derailing him, or making him even more distracted, they seemed to center him.

Taking the feeling in stride, he closed his eyes and placed his hands on his bent knees, palm down, and let out a long, slow breath.

Master Qui Gon had taught him that breathing was the key to proper meditation. When in doubt, when utterly confused, when you are unable to seem to focus on anything at all…focus on breathing. That was what he had told him countless times. His Master had had to deal with a slightly cocky and very impatient Padawan, not comfortable with sitting still for long amounts of time, but he had managed to teach him how to meditate so well that it was now something that Obi enjoyed; looked forward to, even.

Breathe in…and out…in…and out…in…out…

He focused on his breathing and soon felt his body enter a state of relaxation that had all of his worries leaving him, drifting off into the force, cleaning him of any negative energy that he had felt during the day.

Even when he was focused on his breathing, his Master's voice was somehow in his head, still coaching him, still taking him through each stage of meditation. First, the Savitarka…next, the Savichara. He had moved from base relaxation to a slightly more heightened awareness of his surroundings, while still being disjointed.

Taking another deep breath, he heard Qui Gon's voice saying, _"Now…reach beyond what you feel…and let it go into the force once more, rising gently to the next level…"_

He was now in Sananda, or bliss, as it was also known.

Obi Wan let it envelop him, vaguely realizing that the sananda level seemed to mimic the feel of his old bond with his Master. Warm, comforting, reassuring.

He lingered on that level for a while, completely unaware of the passage of time around him, feeling more content than he'd felt since his Master's death. For once, it didn't feel as though his Master had died and left him alone. For a brief while he could have the illusion of feeling as though his Master had never gone.

Vaguely, he realized that he needed to let it go, so he moved on to the next plane of meditation, the one that was allowed once a Padawan became a Knight.

Sasmita.

The individuality. Not focused on _himself_, but on the _idea_ of the individual, and it was a feeling that he was still becoming accustomed to.

He had only been doing this level for two weeks, and still had yet to sustain it for any true length of time. It was essential to be able to as Knight, as it helped a Knight become more aware of what the force was saying, and more aware of the emotions and feelings of others around him. It was very important.

That thought threatened to tip his precarious hold on his new level, but then, yet again, he heard his Master's voice…

"_Obi Wan…just feel it. _Sink_ into it. Let it become a part of you, a necessary aspect of your being. Like breathing, it is _necessary_ for you to be able to do …"_

It was simply amazing to Obi that he was hearing his Master's voice so clearly, as though Qui Gon had not actually passed on, but was in the room with him, guiding him and teaching him the way that he always had, with a patient and loving hand.

Listening to the mental voice, he did as it had said and felt for it…and then sank into it.

Like the feeling when he and his Master moved together fluidly in battle, each movement perfectly executed, with the exact amount of pressure and force, he sank into it almost effortlessly the instant that he had felt it.

It was…remarkable.

And suddenly, so easy.

Feeling so at ease, and so very much deep in relaxation, every part of his body in perfect tune with every other part of him, he simply let his mind go, unaware of the fact that he was dangerously slipping into the highest stage of meditation, one that was only attempted by Masters such as Windu and Yoda…and even then, only Yoda had ever accomplished it for any proper length of time to actually have it aid in any way.

With almost no effort, Obi Wan Kenobi was now resting comfortably in the highest state of meditation almost effortlessly.

In Asamprajnata.

No support. That was the literal meaning of the word; every other stage of meditation had a support of some kind to latch onto, the body or the mind, but this level did not. He was untethered, loose, not a single scrap of thought in his mind…in perfect harmony with the force.

It sang through him, vibrating in the air around him, holding him as though he had been meant to be there his entire life, as though the force were a living entity that had given birth to him at the beginning of time and had let him go, and was now receiving him back into its arms, his place having been carved out long ago, waiting to be filled once more.

And that was where it happened…

"_Obi Wan…"_

Unsure of where he was or what had happened, he turned, finding himself in a place devoid of color, only white surrounding him, and…there he was.

Instead of being shocked and surprised, he simply nodded.

"Master."

* * *

**Part 3/?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Qui Gon stared at him, an affectionate expression on his face.

"Obi." He reached out and placed his hand on his old apprentice's shoulder. "It's been a while."

Obi Wan nodded, wondering why seeing his Master alive didn't feel so…strange. It felt normal, as though he had never passed on to the other side; as though he had spent every last second since his death right next to his apprentice.

"Yes…it has," was all he could say.

They began to walk, and as they did the whiteness around them melted away bit by bit to reveal their quarters.

Finally, after several long minutes of silence, Obi broke it and said, "It _is_ good to see you again, Master, but…but why have you come back? Why now? Why…well, why not before when you had first passed on?"

Qui Gon shook his head.

"I honestly don't know. I _do_ know, however, that I have been trying to reach you for quite some time…"

Obi Wan looked up at the older man in shock.

"You have? But if that's so, then why have I not heard you?"

Qui Gon simply shrugged and gave him a look that he was familiar with. It said, _You're a smart young man. Figure it out._ Obi spoke his thoughts out loud, needing to hear them to make proper sense of them, and to figure out why he hadn't heard his master trying to call to him.

"Well…I _have_ been distraught. Ever since your death, my focus has not been what it once was. I have felt…off balance. Not in proper tune with the force. Of course," he added, trying to rationalize, "Both Master Yoda and Master Windu have said that that is to be expected…"

Qui Gon said nothing, shrugging his shoulders.

That meant, _You're not thinking it through, Padawan._

He had spent his entire life around this man, and even as a spirit…or whatever he may be, he could still read his body language fluently.

Obi let out a frustrated huff of air and slid his hands into the opposite sleeves, so focused that he did not noticed the amused smile that crossed his Master's lips at the sight. His Padawan had been doing that gesture for years; he did it whenever he needed to think, and it was positively endearing.

The new Jedi Knight scoured his thoughts and memories of the past few weeks, trying to figure out what he had missed…

…and then he remembered something just from earlier that very day…

…_Elsa gently squeezed his hand and in an uncharacteristic gesture, he firmly grasped it and ran down the corridor, ignoring the looks of the passersby, a faint tingling on the back of his neck._

_It felt as though Master Qui Gon was still alive…watching; his eyes filled with light humor, smiling in approval, even though he shook his head at their juvenile actions. And something lingered in the back of his mind. His Master's voice, reassuring, and he felt as though he could hear him saying, "I am here, Obi Wan…I am here, waiting…"_

_But he shook it off, knowing that his Master was gone…_

And he looked up at his old Master.

"You were there…" he said, his tone filled with wonder and amazement. "What I felt wasn't imagined…it was _real._ You were _there_!"

Qui Gon nodded, both of them slowing to a stop, their walk obviously finished, and he placed his hand on his old Padawan's shoulder once more, catching his eyes and holding his gaze, glad that he was finally being seen.

"Yes. I was."

They stood there, holding each other's gaze, and then Obi Wan dropped his eyes at the same time his Master dropped his hand from his shoulder, to which Qui Gon asked, "Obi Wan? What is troubling you?"

How easily his Master could still read him. Yes, something was troubling him, but he was ashamed to admit it.

He took a deep breath and then finally said, "Master Yoda and Master Windu also said other things, Master. About…about why I did not see you after you had…died. And…I'm afraid that they might be true, though I sorely wish that they weren't."

"What did they say?"

Qui Gon's voice was soft and not in the least bit accusing, and the words fell from Obi's lips.

"Master Yoda said that our bond was strong, but it that it was…tempestuous." A faint smile appeared on the corner of Qui Gon's lips, but, unseen by Obi Wan, Obi continued. "And Master Windu said…well, _implied_, that our bond was never truly as strong as it should have been. That you had not lingered because it was…weak. Because _I_ was…weak."

The words fell flat on the air, and Qui Gon gently said, "Obi Wan. Look at me."

He did.

His Master then said something that he'd never expected to hear.

"They may be Masters of the force, but they are not always aware of the truth behind _every_thing. Obi, our bond was deep…_very_ deep. More so than is common with Masters and Padawans." He paused and gave him an inscrutable look and then continued. "While you were young, I was a sage old uncle to you. _But_, as you grew, so did our friendship…and our relationship."

He reached over and gently brushed his hair where Obi Wan's braid had once been, his fingers lingering.

"You were never a son to me, but you were never just another Padawan, either…you were simply Obi Wan. And our relationship…well, let's just say that it was…unconventional?"

Obi Wan chuckled and Qui Gon continued.

"Over the last year protecting the Queen, I grew to see you in a way that is probably not considered proper by any means. And I am not in the least bit surprised by the fact that neither Master Windu nor Master Yoda saw, or anticipated, this change in our relationship. And still, even after I have passed, they do not see it."

At this, Obi Wan looked slightly puzzled and Qui Gon explained it in the most honest of terms.

"I grew to love you, Obi…as a man would normally fall in love with a woman. Instead, however, it seems you were the one to capture my heart and affection…"

Hearing this, Obi's mouth gaped for a second, and then snapped shut, his hand coming up to it, his fingers resting against his lips. It was obvious to his Master that he was trying to reconcile the feelings that his Master had had for him when he'd been alive. Qui Gon would gladly give him all of the time that he needed.

Obi Wan turned away, noticing for a brief second that in their walk they had walked through their quarters…into Qui Gon's old sleeping chambers.

The room distracted him as it looked the same as it did when he was awake and not…wherever he was at the moment.

He couldn't believe what Qui Gon had just told him.

His Master loved him. And he didn't simply love him as a Master would towards his Padawan, or even as a friend, but as something more. And what made it all the more confusing was that his Master was dead. Gone. Into the Force. And yet Obi Wan found himself hoping against hope that somehow he could change that so that Qui Gon could be with him. That thought, however, made him realize his own feelings towards his Master.

When had _this_ happened? And how had he not noticed it?

He glanced back at Qui Gon who had moved to the side of the 'room' and was gently running a hand over the spherical stone on the end table. It had been a gift from Obi on his birthday the previous year, and he'd kept by his bedside ever since.

As Obi Wan stared, he felt a surge of emotion in his chest.

He saw the soft, nostalgic smile on his Master's face as he looked at the present and gently lifted it in his hand, and then realized…

…he wanted him to look at _him_ that way. With that affection, with that smile that seemed to glow in his eyes even when the rest of his face remained silent…with love. He wanted to be on the receiving end of it and wanted to _return_ it, as well.

Oh, force…he was in love with him as well.

* * *

**Part 4/?**


End file.
